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Listen to my interview with Mind the Store Campaign Director Mike Schade to hear more about WalMart’s policy and what other retailers are doing to reduce toxic chemicals. |
In a stunning bold move, WalMart is now insisting that it’s vendors eliminate toxic chemicals from their products or fully disclose them to the public.
*By January 2015 all manufacturers who sell cleaning products, cosmetics, baby and personal care products will have to disclose the ingredients used in their products online. This is important because cleaning products in particular are not required by law to disclose their toxic ingredients on the label (they are required to disclose them on a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). By January 2018, any toxic substances still in products will be required to be disclosed on the label.
*Walmart now has a list of about 10 priority toxic chemicals which they are seeking to reduce and eliminate from cleaning products, cosmetics, baby and personal care products. The list will be released later.
*Walmart will work with their suppliers to move towards safer alternatives. They are working with groups who are doing the research to make these kinds of transitions.
*Walmart brand cleaners will no longer contain toxic chemicals outlined by the EPA’s Design for the Environment program. This program has a lengthy list of chemicals that can’t be used.
This doesn’t mean that WalMart will suddenly become our one-stop-shop for all things toxic-free, but they are taking the lead to make the products they sell less toxic, and that’s a good thing. Because if a manufacturer goes less toxic for WalMart, that same less toxic product will be sold everywhere.
